Eptopic beats

[Kaiser78]

Had my ablation 3wlks ago, but today I've been getting eptopic beats all day, Heart rates between 40-50bpm, making me feel weak, has anyone else experienced this after ablation? Worried the af is returning?

[David1964]

One can experience some strange rhythms in the early days or weeks after an ablation. I can attest to that. Certainly I can attest the ectopics, though my heart rate is elevated (80-90 bpm) rather than slow like yours. You could be getting bigeminy or other strange patterns. I'd go and get an ECG if it persists.

[Kaiser78 in reply to David1964]

I've got 6-10 normal beats then a missing beat, like a pause then normal beats again, I've not slept well and have a cold too. It might be that too?

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Kaiser78]

This is all quite normal. It takes a minimum of three to six months for the heart to heal post ablation and you will get odd rhythms form time to time. Early days yet so don;t worry as this only makes things worse.

Bob

[chrisharmer Volunteer]

Bob is right. Worth saying also that ectopics are NOT AF. They are extra beats which are added into a normal sinus rhythm and the medics say they are harmless. I know, I know, they can feel uncomfortable, strange, and worrying. I gain the impression that an increased level of ectopics is normal after an ablation, and for me I still always get at least one or two ectopics per minute 4 years down the road from my ablation which, aided by a little Flecainide, has kept me completely AF free ( with many thanks to the John Radcliffe at Oxford). I can get a lot more, even one ectopic every other beat for a time, but there is usually a good reason for that such as MSG in food.

[chrisharmer Volunteer]

Bob is right. Worth saying also that ectopics are NOT AF. They are extra beats which are added into a normal sinus rhythm and the medics say they are harmless. I know, I know, they can feel uncomfortable, strange, and worrying. I gain the impression that an increased level of ectopics is normal after an ablation, and for me I still always get at least one or two ectopics per minute 4 years down the road from my ablation which, aided by a little Flecainide, has kept me completely AF free ( with many thanks to the John Radcliffe at Oxford). I can get a lot more, even one ectopic every other beat for a time, but there is usually a good reason for that such as MSG in food.

[Kaiser78]

Thank-you guys.

[flyfisher]

Kaiser, Ectopic beats after an ablation are quite normal. I had them for several months after my ablation and a year on still get the occasional one, they often had a pattern , such as 6 beats and a miss , 10 beats and a miss. I generally had a light gnawing feeling in my abdomen just before it missed. It was that feeling that alerted me to the missing beats.

In my case they are brought on by relaxing my previously strict diet, in particular i found any item high in sugar would bring them on.

Just last week , over a year from ablation, I entered the Christmas spirit and had a few of chocolates and a mince pie , later that evening I had some minor missing so it is back to a cautious diet for me.

Good luck